# Some Good Ports?



## fuente~fuente (May 11, 2009)

Gentleman... Would you be do kind as to suggest some good Port wine labels?

Is there something out there that's reasonably priced, but high quality? I'm no wine connoisseur by any means, & don't even know on average what a decent bottle costs. I picked up a bottle of 10 yr Sandeman a few months back that wasn't bad... It set me back about $25 if I recall, & it was OK. I hear there are better ones out there for around that ballpark, or would is be wise to spend a little more? I'd love your suggestions. :nod: 

Thanks! 

Jason


----------



## cheese (Dec 26, 2009)

There are plenty of good ports to be had in the $25 range (or less). Before you go too far, it's important to note there are several styles of port. First some information:

Barrel Aged:

There is tawny port (which is likely what you were drinking). They are aged for years mostly in wooden barrels prior to bottling. Tawnys can be great and are usually easy to find.

There is also a colheita port which is barrel aged but labeled by the vintage (not to be confused with vintage port).

Bottle Aged:

First are the ruby ports. These are usually the cheapest things you can find and aren't all that good, however there are some exceptions. (There is also a reserve ruby which is a step up but they are not worth it in my opinion.)

Next are late bottle vintage (LBV) ports. LBV's are typically ports that were going to be vintage ports but for one reason or another they were not. made into vintages. Many LBV's are left in the barrel for longer aging compared to a true vintage port and are meant for immediate consumption rather than storing bottles for additional aging.

Now we get to vintage ports (my personal favorites). For a port to be vintage, a vintage must first be declared. Vintages are declared by the individual port houses. Vintage ports are made entirely form grapes from a single declared vintage and are barrel aged for a maximum of 2.5 years and typically require another 10-30 years of aging in the bottle to reach their potential. Sometimes longer. In my opinion, since declaring a vintage is basically a matter of reputation, house (brand) names have the most importance in these types of ports.

There are a few other types of port such as white, crusted, and quintas
but since they are a little less common, I wouldn't worry about them for now.

Now some recommendations:

For an inexpensive and nice port (technically it's from Australia), try Hardy's "Whiskers Blake". It super sweet and can be consumed as a stand alone dessert. IMO. It's also good with other desserts. You should find it for $10-$12/bottle.

A step up would be Warre's Otima 10 year Tawny port. It should be about $20-ish per (500mL) bottle.

These will cost you a little more but are better than the above and the Sandeman's you tried (IMO): Dow's, Graham's, Fonseca, and Taylor (Fladgate) 10 year tawny ports. They should cost somewhere near $30/bottle give or take a few dollars.

One of my favorite "bargain" vintage ports is Quinta de Roriz 2001 vintage port. Not as good as the 200, 2002, and 2005, but it is about half the price. (Wine.com has it for $28.99/bottle.) On the first sip you'll notice the difference between this and a tawny port. It will be up to you to decide which style you prefer. I like both styles but I prefer vintage.

Fonseca, Dow's, Graham's, and Taylor all make great vintage ports but they get pricey and require more time to get really good. For example, I have a magnum of 1997 Fonseca vintage port that cost me $145 and I have no plans to open for a few more decades. I hear the 1970 Taylor vintage port is drinking incredibly well right now but it runs $150-$200 for a regular sized bottle.

Some I didn't think too highly of:

Offley Boa Vista (both 1970 and 1985) and Churchill's (1994, 1997, 2000) All were good but not worth the money, IMO.

One last thing for you to try:

If you like blue cheese, get a nice one and try it with some port, especially a vintage port. It sounds weird but it tastes fantastic!


----------



## fuente~fuente (May 11, 2009)

Thanks for the thorough info Shane! :rockon:

I'll have to give some of your suggestions a try. :nod:

*RG BUMP 4 U!!!*


----------



## deep (Mar 13, 2009)

OK....I am going to follow up with a REALLY dumb question...are all ports sweet, like sugary sweet or can you get ones that are more tarty sweet???:twitch:


----------



## cheese (Dec 26, 2009)

Some ports are certainly sweeter than others. Some, like the Whiskers Blake I mentioned, are candy in a glass. Some vintage ports are indeed fruit forward with strong flavors of blackberry, black cherry, or sometimes currant. While sugar level vary, I would use the word "dry" instead of tart. Some also are fairly tannic and grip the inside of the mouth a lot. You might be able to find a LBV or colheita that fits this description as well.

For more info on port, try here:

fortheloveofport.com • Index page


----------



## deep (Mar 13, 2009)

cheese said:


> Some ports are certainly sweeter than others. Some, like the Whiskers Blake I mentioned, are candy in a glass. Some vintage ports are indeed fruit forward with strong flavors of blackberry, black cherry, or sometimes currant. While sugar level vary, I would use the word "dry" instead of tart. Some also are fairly tannic and grip the inside of the mouth a lot. You might be able to find a LBV or colheita that fits this description as well.
> 
> For more info on port, try here:
> 
> fortheloveofport.com • Index page


thanks I will check that site out....

that is what I am looking for more dry with a fruity sweetness rather then Sugar sweet.


----------



## ccforme (Mar 25, 2007)

I'll second the Taylor Fladgate tawny. 10 year is good, but I really like the 20 year. it's about $15 more.


----------



## Scott W. (Jul 10, 2008)

I have never had a problem with a Fonseca LBV which I believe is still around $25


----------



## lbiislander (Oct 15, 2010)

Ruby ports tend to be redder and sweeter while tawny ports are browner and "nuttier". If you like the sweetness factor but find port too sweet, try some aged sherry, not the cooking stuff but real sherry from Spain.


----------



## cheese (Dec 26, 2009)

Link to a nice inexpensive LBV port from a trustworthy source:

Taylor Fladgate 2005 LBV - San Diego Wine Co.


----------



## EvoFX (Nov 11, 2008)

cheese said:


> Some ports are certainly sweeter than others. Some, like the Whiskers Blake I mentioned, are candy in a glass. Some vintage ports are indeed fruit forward with strong flavors of blackberry, black cherry, or sometimes currant. While sugar level vary, I would use the word "dry" instead of tart. Some also are fairly tannic and grip the inside of the mouth a lot. You might be able to find a LBV or colheita that fits this description as well.
> 
> For more info on port, try here:
> 
> fortheloveofport


o this is fantastic. i have been looking into ports and have been wanting some more info. cheers:banana:


----------



## cheese (Dec 26, 2009)

Just a heads up. 2007 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for ports. They will require some age though. If you run across one for a decent price you might want to give a shot.

If I can figure out how, I'm going to grab at least 2 bottles of this:

Zachys

For those with lots 'o money, I'd get a case of this:

Zachys

Actually, if I could afford to tie up the money, a half case (6 bottles) might pay for themselves if one were to buy a whole case and sell half after letting them sit for a few years. (I'm still kicking myself for missing out on a futures case of 2005 Margaux that doubled in price 3, yes 3, days later!)


----------

